The well-hung VW Tiguan, the Tiguan Allspace

VW jumped on the SUV train over 15 years ago with their brilliant, yet underrated, Touareg. Five years later the brand launched the compact Tiguan.

Now in its second generation, the Tiguan is a very popular SUV. Locally VW sells about 500 units monthly, putting it in the top 10 bestselling list. Many of these buyers are young families.

Narrowing the gap between the medium-sized Tiguan and the extra-large Touareg, the new, large Tiguan Allspace.

Essentially, the Allspace is a Tiguan, only 21.5cm longer. This 8.5 inches of additional space allows for the third row of seats. Three rows mean space for seven, albeit don’t think you can start a tour operating a business with the Allspace - the third row of seats is strictly for little kids. When that third row of seats is stowed away, the boot is fabulously large – 488 liters.

Arguably in a league of its own, the Tiguan Allspace has few direct competitors. The Nissan X-Trail is one; it has space for seven, but it isn’t as refined a package. The Discovery Sport offers similar accommodations, but its premium badge means that it is a lot more expensive.

You could, of course, consider a Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Outlander or the Ford Everest, but they are cut from a rougher slab of rock and lack the finesse of the Allspace.

The Allspace range is differentiated from the more compact Tiguan by these style cues: a raised bonnet, a more pronounced kick of the shoulder line after its rear pillar, larger side windows and integrated trapezoidal tailpipes. These are small details, harder to detect with the naked eye; it’s easier to see that the Allspace is bigger.

The range is driven by an option of engines: the entry-level 1.4 TSI (110kW), the 2.0 TSI (132kW), 2.0 TSI (162kW) or a 2.0 diesel TDI (110kW).

The 2.0 TSI (132kW) holds the sweet spot in the range, offering ample performance for its intended purpose - being the ultimate family wagon. In fact, it’s able to tow a self-braking trailer with a weight of up to 2500kgs.

The interior is the same as the Tiguan - top class. Quality finishes abound: leather, aluminium and top-quality plastics. The aesthetic is clean and simple yet sophisticated. There was a time when a VW was the lesser of the Germans from a quality perspective. This is no longer the case. In fact, its large touchscreen infotainment and all digital tachometer - speedometer and rev-counter - are a testimony to the car’s technology supremacy.

On the road, the Allspace is reassuring to drive. The suspension is firmer than some, allowing for a sportier drive. This SUV isn’t soft and floaty. If you spec the R-Line package, the car's suspension is lowered, and the profile of the larger wheels is smaller. Despite making the car better looking, it does detract from the car’s overall ride harmony.

If you have a bigger than average family, 3.5 to 4.2 kids per family, this is the best quality yet value-oriented SUV that South Africa has on offer. Hard to fault, the extra versatility comes at a moderate price increase between R20k and R60k - depending on the model you pick.